Insulative devices and related methods for treating symptoms of lung and other ailments

ABSTRACT

An insulative device including an inner layer configured to contact a wearer&#39;s body, an outer layer coupled to the inner layer and configured to face away from the wearer&#39;s body, a pad disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer and the pad configured to cover a region of the wearer&#39;s torso corresponding approximately to the location of the lungs of the wearer, and wherein the inner layer includes a wicking material and the pad includes a sweat absorbing material so that sweat is wicked away from the body, absorbed in the pad, and prevented from evaporating near the wearer&#39;s body keeping the region around the lungs warm while allowing the rest of the wearer&#39;s body to stay cool so that symptoms of lung ailments are reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/593,166, filed Jan. 31, 2012, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety, as if recited in full, forall purposes.

BACKGROUND

The presently disclosed innovations relate to insulative devices, andrelated methods, for treating lung ailments. Some disclosed devices keepa portion of a wearer's body warm and comfortable, as by wicking sweataway from the body. As but one example, an innovative insulative devicecan be positioned adjacent a region of a wearer's upper torso (e.g.,chest, upper back, or both) or thorax, for example, adjacent the lungs,to help alleviate one or more symptoms of an illness, such as, forexample asthma or a cold.

It is well known to keep the body warm by wearing plural layers ofclothing material. For example, a person's body can be covered withmultiple layers of T-shirts, sweaters, pajamas, and/or a jacket. Aproblem with plural layers of clothes is that such extra layers can becumbersome and make the user uncomfortable, particularly when lying inbed or sleeping. This discomfort can result in the user having a hardtime falling asleep or participating in an activity. Additionally, extralayers of clothes tend to warm the entire body and may cause the user tosweat excessively and have a hard time falling asleep or participatingin activities.

When sleeping, one or more blankets are commonly used to keep a personwarm. However, extra blankets typically warm a large area of the body.Blankets are also prone to being kicked off while the user is sleeping,leading to the user not having any insulation (or insufficientinsulation) from a blanket, for example, as is thought to be common withinfants and children. Moreover, plural layers of blankets (and/or looseclothing) may present a danger of suffocation to infants.

Many textiles and combinations of materials have been developed toprovide comfort to a wearer's body while performing activities, as wellas when sleeping. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,582 describes apillow that allows air circulation and that has sweat absorbingfeatures.

However, no known prior art design provides selective insulation,warmth, comfort, and absorption integrated in a snug fitting insulativedevice as disclosed herein for treating symptoms of lung ailments. Thus,there remains a need for a wearable device or article of clothingconfigured to selectively insulate a portion of a wearer's chest toalleviate discomfort associated with symptoms of lung ailments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The innovations disclosed herein overcome the foregoing and otherdeficiencies in the prior art. Representative embodiments of thedisclosed innovations are shown in the appended drawings, which form aportion of this disclosure, wherein the same or similar features sharecommon reference numerals in the drawings and following detaileddescription.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified front elevation view of a first embodiment ofan insulative device having a single insulative member.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an insulative devicehaving an insulative member coupled to a garment.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of aninsulative device having an insulative member integrally coupled within(i.e., integrated in) a body portion of a garment.

FIG. 5A shows a simplified front elevation view of a second embodimentof an insulative device having first and second insulative memberscoupled to a garment.

FIG. 5B shows a rear elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 shows a side elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 5A.

FIG. 7A shows a front elevation view of a third embodiment of aninsulative device without shoulder straps and having first and secondinsulative members.

FIG. 7B shows a rear elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 shows a side elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows a front perspective view of a fourth embodiment of aninsulative device without shoulder straps and having one insulativemember positioned relative to the garment such that the member ispositioned adjacent a wearer's anterior thorax when the garment is worn.

FIG. 10 shows a side elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 9.

FIG. 11A shows a simplified front elevation view of another embodimentof an insulative device having an insulating member coupled to a shirt.

FIG. 11B shows a side elevation view of the insulative device shown inFIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 shows a simplified front elevation view of another embodiment ofan insulative device having an insulating member associated with abodysuit.

FIG. 13A shows a simplified front elevation view of another embodimentof an insulative device having first and second insulative members, aswell as fasteners/retainers positioned adjacent a side of the insulativedevice.

FIG. 13B shows a rear elevation view of the embodiment depicted in FIG.13A.

FIG. 13C shows a side elevation view of the device depicted on FIGS. 13Aand 13B.

FIG. 14 shows a plan view of the embodiment of the insulating deviceshown in FIGS. 13A, 13B and 13C in an open configuration (i.e., with thefasteners unfastened).

FIG. 15 shows a simplified side elevation view of a torso of a wearerwearing a strapless insulating device shown of the type in FIGS. 13 and14.

FIG. 16 shows a simplified front view of an upper torso with the deviceshown in FIGS. 13, 14, and 15.

FIG. 17A shows a simplified side elevation view of a torso of a wearerwearing an insulating device of the type shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 17B shows a rear elevation view of the insulating device shown inFIG. 17A.

FIG. 18A shows a simplified side elevation view of a wearer with anotherembodiment of an insulative device having one or more (e.g., two)openings, each opening configured to operatively receive a respectivesensor.

FIG. 18B shows a front view of a wearer with another embodiment of aninsulative device having one or more (e.g., two) openings, each openingconfigured to operatively receive a respective sensor.

FIGS. 19, 20, 21, and 22A and 22B show various views of an insulativedevice of the type shown in FIGS. 13A, 15 and 17 positioned on a flatsurface in an open configuration.

FIG. 19 shows a plan view of an outer surface (as worn) of the device.

FIG. 20 shows a plan view of an inner surface (as worn) of the device.

FIG. 21 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the device positioned asshown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22A shows a schematic side elevation view of the device.

FIG. 22B shows an isometric view of the device.

FIG. 23 shows a front elevation view of the device shown in FIGS. 19,20, 21, and 22A and 22B being worn.

FIGS. 24A and 24B show side-elevation and front-elevation views,respectively, of a sports- bra-type garment having an insulative deviceof the type shown and described herein.

FIG. 25 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of an insulativemember.

FIG. 26 shows a planview of the insulative member shown in FIG. 25 withthe insulative layer exposed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Each of the insulative devices shown in FIGS. 1-26 is configured toselectively insulate a portion of a wearer's body adjacent to the lungs,e.g., a portion of the upper torso. The respective insulative devicescan retain heat between an insulative member and the user's body, and insome instances, can wick moisture away from the wearer's skin. In someembodiments, an anatomically contoured device can allow for a portion ofthe human body around the lungs to stay warm while the rest of the bodystays cool. By insulating a specific body portion and providing a snugfit of an insulative device to a user's body, disclosed insulativedevices permit a user to achieve selective warming of a body portion,which is believed to provide the user relief from lung ailments that isunattainable using prior-art garments. Additionally, selectiveinsulation of the body portion can be accomplished without need for thewearer to continuously hold the device or assistance from another. Asused herein, “selective warming” means “warming of a discrete portion orregion of a wearer's body.” As used herein, “selective insulation” means“insulation positioned adjacent a discrete portion or region of awearer's body.”

A portion of the body that can be selectively warmed can include aportion of the torso or any other discrete body portion or region. It isbelieved that the application of disclosed devices to one's upper torsomay alleviate the symptoms of a respiratory illness, such as the commoncold, or flu coughs. For example, symptoms, such as chills, coughing,sneezing, runny nose and congestion, may be alleviated. A snug fit ofthe insulative device can also inhibit air from circulating between theinsulative device and the user's body.

The term “snug fit” is used herein to mean an the item is worn orotherwise disposed tightly on the wearer's body to achieve a contourcorresponding to the wearer's body without any substantial gaps betweenthe garment and the wearer's skin (e.g., a gap measuring about 0.25inches to about 0.5 inches, such as between about 0.375 inches and about0.875 inches). Some embodiments may be designed to meet children'ssleepwear requirements, for example requirements pertaining totight-fitting sleepwear garments specified by the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission (e.g., 16 C.F.R. Parts 1615 & 1616).

In some instances, disclosed insulative devices may be used as“warm-ups”, such as used prior to participating in an athletic event,for example in place of or in addition to a conventional sweat-shirt.Even in this application, the insulative device provides selectiveinsulation. In some embodiments, the materials used for the insulativedevice provide a soft feel and may have a comforting effect on the user.

Some embodiments of the insulative device may be applied by wearing thedevice on the chest or on the back. In other possible embodiments, thedevice may be held in place by a piece of garment such as a top,T-shirt, sweat shirt, and/or held in place by friction. Optionally, theinsulative device may be integrated in or on an article of clothing, asshown in several of the drawings.

In some embodiments, an insulative member may cover a portion of theupper torso as a generally rectangularly shaped member extending in acircumferential direction around a wearer's torso and having a firstwidth (e.g., a longitudinal width) sufficient to extend approximatelyfrom the wearer's collar bone to the wearer's abdomen, for exampleending approximately at the transpyloric plane of the wearer's body, andhaving a second width (e.g., a circumferential width) sufficient foropposed sides of the member to be coextensive with (or at leastapproximately coextensive with) the anterior axillary lines on opposedsides of the body of the wearer (e.g., to be within about two inches,such as between about 0.75 inches and about 1.25 inches, of each of theopposed anterior axillary lines).

The insulative member, sometimes referred to as a “cough pad”, can coverany one or more, or all, selected parts of the upperbody and can vary inthickness for example it can become thin at or near a perimeter edge orin an area near where it attaches to a corresponding garment orfastener. The pad can extend from a position adjacent (i.e.,approximately coextensive with) or coextensive with the left anterioraxillary line to a position adjacent the right anterior axillary linearound the front (chest) or around the back. The pad can extend from aposition adjacent or coextensive with the left midaxillary line to aposition adjacent or coextensive with the right midaxillary line aroundthe front (chest) or around the back. The pad can extend from a positionadjacent or coextensive with the left posterior axillary line to aposition adjacent or coextensive with the right posterior axillary linearound the front (chest) or around the back. The pad can extend aroundthe whole of the upper body, for example from a position adjacent orcoextensive with the midaxillary line to a position adjacent orcoextensive with the mid axillary line. The pad can extend between anycombination of the above positions, for example from a position adjacentor coextensive with the left or right axillary line to a positionadjacent or coextensive with the other axillary lines (anterior, mid andposterior). In each of these embodiments, the pad can extend between aposition adjacent or coextensive with about two inches (e.g., betweenabout 0.25 inches and about 2.5 inches) above or below the pectoralismajor (or about two inches below the serratus anterior) and about twoinches above or below the obliquas externas.

In other embodiments, a similar insulative member may cover one or moreselected portions of the back of a wearer. Embodiments of the disclosedinnovations caninclude a portion configured to cover selected anatomyabove and/or below the lung area, for example, the device can extend toa position adjacent or coextensive with the neck or to a positionadjacent or coextensive with above or below the waist line, for examplethe lower back. The insulative device caninclude a unitary structurehaving inner and outer layers, and a thin layer of insulative materialposition between the inner and outer layers. As used herein “unitary”means having the character of a unit, not divided or discontinuousstructurally.

In some embodiments, the insulative device includes an inner layerconfigured to contact a wearer's body, an outer layer coupled to theinner layer and configured to face away from the wearer's body, and aninsulative pad disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. Theinsulative pad may cover a selected region on a wearer's bodycorresponding approximately to a location of the lungs of the wearer.

As used herein, the term “inner layer” refers to a layer of a layeredgarment configured to face the body of a person wearing the device.Similarly, “outside layer” or “outer layer” refers to a layer of alayered garment configured to face away from the body of a personwearing the device. An inner layer can be configured to draw moistureaway from the wearer's skin, as by wicking, allowing evaporation orother transport mechanism. An adjacent insulative pad can include asweat absorbing material configured to absorb sweat and/or prevent sweatfrom evaporating near the wearer's skin, enhancing a rate at whichmoisture is drawn away from the wearer's skin and keeping the chest area(or other selected region covered by the pad) warm, and the personcomfortable. The insulative pad can absorb sweat and allow the sweat toevaporate from a position spaced from the wearer's body, preventingevaporation of the sweat from cooling the selected region of thewearer's body.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an insulative device 2 including a garment 3, forexample of a general tubular or cylindrical configuration, and a singleinsulative member 5. Garment 3 has a frontal portion 7 configured to bepositioned over a front side of the torso of a wearer, and a backportion 9 to cover a portion of the back of a wearer. Insulative member5 is disposed at frontal portion 7 of garment 3. The device furtherincludes a retainer configured to hold the insulative element in placeon the body of the wearer, for example, respective shoulder straps 10 aand 10 b may be coupled to garment 3 at a left side and a right side ofthe tubular structure and configured to extend from frontal portion 7 ofgarment 3 over the shoulders of a wearer towards predetermined positions13 a and 13 b at back portion 9 of garment 3. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, straps 10 a and 10 b are coupled to frontal portion 7 ofgarment 3 at locations 15 a and 15 b respectively within thecircumference of insulative member 5. Straps 10 a and 10 b extend fromfrontal portion 7 to back portion 9 and are configured to be worn overthe shoulders of a wearer.

Inner Layer/Wicking Material

Some embodiments of disclosed insulative devices use an inner layer 8(FIG. 4) of a wicking material and an adjacent layer 4 of an absorbentmaterial that absorbs the sweat that is wicked away from the body.Generally, a layer of a wicking material pulls sweat or moisture awayfrom the user's body. Possible materials that may be used as an innerlayer 4 may include lightweight fabrics made of natural or syntheticfibers, for example, a thermoconductive fabric such as a silk-weightwicking polyester e.g., wickaway, and fabrics offered under trademarksCOOLMAX™, DRY FIT™, COOL DRY™, COOL PASS™, or other fabrics that offermoisture control and air control. Some suitable materials may be flameretardant or have flame retardant properties/materials incorporated inthem.

In other embodiments, the insulative device 5 can include a shell layerfilled with an insulative material.

Insulative Member

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the insulative device caninclude an insulative member 5 having a laminated construction of aninner layer 4, an insulative layer 8, and an outer layer 6. Similar tothe inner layer, the outer layer may include a unidirectional wickingmaterial to wick moisture out of the insulative layer to allow it toevaporate. With such an arrangement of materials, the insulative device2 can position the evaporatively cooled region spaced apart from thewearer's chest, ensuring that the chest remains warm despite anevaporating sweat. The insulative layer 8 can provide has a relativelylarge temperature gradient to prevent the cooling effect of evaporationfrom cooling the user.

The insulative layer may be made of natural or synthetic materialsincluding sweat absorbing or “wicking” materials such as cotton, wool,polyester, OMNI HEAT® (available from Columbia Sportswear Company,Portland, Oreg.), THINSULATE® (available from 3M, St. Paul, Minn.),CROSLITE™ (available from Crocs, Niwot, Col.), feathers, beads, rubber,paper, acrylic, cellulose, fiberglass, rock-wool, foam, layers of cloth,etc. In some embodiments, a batting material may be used as aninsulative material that consists of, for example, 100% polyester fill.Optionally, the insulative material may be impregnated withantimicrobial chemicals or the pad may be filled with many differentmaterials, for example therapeutic herbs, etc.

Some embodiments have batting sewn to the shell or inner layer along allsides of the insulative member. In some embodiments, the thickness ofthe batting material operative ranges from about ⅛ inch to about 10inches. For example, FIGS. 19, and 20 show a systematic illustration ofan embodiment, wherein the batting material is about 1 inch thick.

Other embodiments may have a pad with a fill material that is looselypacked and thus can conform to the user's body. The loose fill also canreduce discomfort that may otherwise occur from applying the device tothe user's body. In other embodiments, the device may include two shelllayers 4, 6 and a polyester fill. Further embodiments may have a zipperallowing a volume of fill material to be selectively varied by a user.The amount of fill material may be added so that the insulative devicewill conform to a person's body in a selective manner, and will providea selected degree of insulation to a wearer's body, thereby providing auser-configurable device and a selectable degree of relief from a lungailment.

Optionally, the insulative device may have an outer protective materialapplied to the pad. In some embodiments, the device may includedecorative surface patterns, such as different stitching patterns,and/or fabrics in different color, materials, textures, or applieddecorations.

Fasteners

Some insulative devices can be held in place on the body of a user viafasteners, or retainers. In some embodiments, a retainer can include anytype of garment or clothing item that is adapted to hold the insulativemember in a desired position. For example, the garment may be made as asingle stretchable structure or the garment may have belts and/or strapsto secure an insulative device to the user's body. Optionally, strapscan extend around the body, between the legs, over the shoulders or anycombination thereof.

In some embodiments, fasteners include elastic materials like a rubberband, or strips of leather, cotton, wool, etc. configured to hold thedevice in place. One or more connections can go on the front, side, orback portions of the user's body. Optionally, one or more connectionscan be positioned adjacent or at the pad at a front portion of thedevice so that the pad protects the user from noticing the connectionpoint. Some fasteners use portions of an elastic material(s) such asLYCRA™ (available from DuPont, Wilmington, Del.) to ensure a snug fit ofthe insulative device to the user's body. Some embodiments may haveshoulder portions covering some portion of the shoulders, for example,straps of a soft cushiony material that feel comfortable against thebody and that have the ability to conform with movement of the body andthat hold the pad snug against a user's body. Other embodiments may havestraps that flare out at the attachment portion to the tubularstructure, for example as shown in FIG. 1. In other embodiments, theportions may be interconnected so as to form a single unit. Optionally,the fasteners may be adjustable, for example to by using clips, buckles,cinch cords, etc. Straps can also be configured with a pocket allowing apad to be selectively inserted. Such a pocket feature is useful if auser wants to remove the pad without having to take off the strap,T-shirt or other layer of clothing.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 18 have a tubular structure 17with a frontal portion 7 configured to conform to a wearer's chest and aback portion 9 configured to conform a wearer's back.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of an insulative device 2 having apad 8 that is held snugly in place with a garment 3 and straps 10, forexample elastic bands. Device 2 has an insulative member 5 including aninner layer 4, an outer layer 6, and an intermediate layer or pad 8 ofan insulative material positioned between the inner layer and the outerlayer. At the chest, pad 8 forms a front panel of the device configuredto cover a portion of the upper torso from approximately the wearer'ssternum to the wearer's collar bone and from the front of one underarmregion to the front of the other underarm region. See FIGS. 15-17A. Aninner layer 4 extends as an elastic band 14 around the user's thorax.Device 2 is further held in place with over-the-shoulder straps 10 a and10 b. The over-the-shoulder straps may have any suitable width thatmakes the insulative device comfortable to the wearer.

Elastic band 14 may be contoured along the sides of the device such thatband 14 extends under the user's arm, as shown in FIG. 2 with arrow 16,for example by cutting and finishing the device in a predeterminedshape. The offset at the side portion and the back portion of device 2,indicated in FIG. 2 as the difference between distance A and distance B,allows pad 8 to fit comfortably over a relatively large area of thewearer's chest region, for example extending upward towards the wearer'scollar bone while also, accommodating the arms of the user.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a garment 3 with recessed contours along the upperedge 11 of the tubular structure, e.g., extending along the wearer'sleft and right sides. The contours of upper edge 11 may be symmetricalon both sides of the insulative member 5. The curvature of edge 11starts slightly outward from the point of strap attachment near an edgeof the insulative member, for example corresponding approximately to theanterior axillary line of the body of the wearer. The upper edge 11 ofgarment 3 has the shape of a gentle U-shaped curve going downward alongthe side of the tubular structure 17 and a lowermost region positionedadjacent to the midaxillary line of a user. In other words, the width ofgarment 3 becomes small along the sides, i.e., from a front portion withlongitudinal width A to a side and/or a back portion with a longitudinalwidth B.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8, insulative device 202 hasa tubular structure 217 with an upper edge 211 gradually decreasing fromlongitudinal width C to longitudinal width D. Upper edge 211 therebyfollows a generally linear reduction in height as measured from front toback of device 202.

In some embodiments, the insulative member 5 (FIG. 1) has a separableconstruction such that the member is separable from an inner section ofa stretchable tubular structure. For example, FIG. 3 shows insulativemember 5 that is inwardly offset to the body-facing side of device 2 andthat is attached to tubular structure 17 by sewing around the perimeterof pad 8. Another embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, has a pad 8 integrated ina tubular structure and positioned between an inner layer 4 and an outerlayer 6 to form an insulative member 105. In other embodiments, aninsulative pad can be positioned at an outer location of the supportstructure.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6 show a second embodiment of an insulative device 102having two pads 5, 12. Pad 5 is positioned at frontal portion 7 ofdevice 102 and pad 12 is positioned at a back portion 9 of device 102.For the back, pad 12 covers roughly the same area, corresponding to, andgenerally parallel to, the area of the chest covered by pad 8. Straps 10a and 10 b extend over the wearer's shoulders and can be attached topads 8 and 12, for example by sewing at locations E and F at an outwardfacing portion of pad 8 or outer layer 6. In other embodiments, aninsulating device 1002 may have a pad sewn into a clothing item, forexample into a camisole or a sports bra configuration, as shown in FIGS.24A and 24B.

FIGS. 7A through 10, 13A through 17B, and 19 through 23, show otherembodiments of insulative devices, various retainer configurations,omitting shoulder straps configurations. An insulative pad can be heldsnugly in place around the upper torso of a wearer with an elastic orother resiliently extensible material, which may be an extension of aninner layer 4 that wraps around the wearer's body. Optionally, arubberized or silicone strip (not shown) at the body-facing or outwardfacing side of the garment can be configured to hold the tubularstructure in place on the body or against a shirt/top.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8, device 202 has twoelastic bands 18 and 20. First band 18 is positioned adjacent a wearer'sbody at upper edge 19 of garment 3. Second band 20 is positionedadjacent the wearer's body at bottom edge 21 of garment 3. Elastic bands18 and 20 urge the garment against wearer's body, holding pad 14 snugagainst the user's body. Device 202 has two insulating pads 8 and 12 atfrontal portion 7 and back portion 9, respectively, of tubular structure217. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a device 302 having a tubular structure 317having a pad 308 at a frontal portion 7 only.

In other embodiments, for example as shown in FIGS. 13A, 14, 16, 17 and19 through 23, insulative devices 602 and 902 can include a single stripor band 22 of a stretchable material may be used, for example, anelastic band. Band 22 may have a longitudinal width about equal to orgreater than pad 8, allowing band 22 to form a snug fit over pad 8 andaround the user's torso. Band 22 may have an elongated generallyrectangular structure with a top edge 52, a bottom edge 54, andrespective first and second side edges 56 and 58. Matingly engageablefasteners 24 a and 24 b can be respectively disposed adjacent opposededges 56 and 58 and configured to form a tubular structure around awearer's body such that the fasteners engage with each other whendonned. Band 22 may be an extension of inner layer 4 configured to wraparound a wearer's body and close around the body with fasteners 24 a and24 b engaged. For example strips of a hook-and-loop fastener materialmay be attached to ends 26, 28 of a single elastic band 22. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 13A to 14, band 22 can be closed into atubular structure by fasteners. In a working embodiment, fasteners 30,32, and 34, for example, are three pieces of a VELCRO® material, areattached at each respective open ends 56 and 58 of band 22. In otherembodiments, one or more strips of a hook and loop material can beaffixed adjacent each respective open end of the elastic band, allowingthe band to be closed in on itself to form a generally tubularstructure. For example, the fasteners may be positioned at selectedlocations lengthwise allowing the effective length L of the device to beselectively adjusted by a user to provide a snug fit around the wearer'sbody portion. As an example, generally parallel strips of a VELCRO®material may be disposed in a transverse direction at the respectiveclosing ends. Other embodiments may include closures formed with snaps,buttons, zipper, or the like.

FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 22A, 22B, and 23 show an insulating device 902 withfirst and second pieces of VELCRO® 60 and 62 attached to the respectiveouter corner at each respective end 26, 28 of band 22. Other embodimentscan have continuous strips of fastener material, or any number of piecesof fastener material configured to allow adjustments of the device toprovide a desired snug fit. In other possible embodiments, differentconfigurations are possible or different fasteners may be used, such asbuttons, hooks, snaps, zipper or drawstring may help give a snug fit.

Some embodiments may have hidden seams so that the sensation of theconnection is essentially eliminated and comfort to the user isincreased. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13A through 15,band 22 forms a tubular enclosure with closing ends 26, 28 configured tomeet at a position adjacent to pad 5 so that the feeling of theconnection is reduced or eliminated.

Optionally, the edges of the device may be reinforced and/or softened,for example by stitching or folding material or by adding a strip of asuitable edge material.

FIG. 15 indicates with arrows 42, 44 how elastic bands at the top andbottom of inner layer may hold device 702 in place. FIGS. 16 and 17 showan embodiment of an insulative device wherein pads 5 and 12 are held inplace adjacent a tubular structure 46 and elastic bands 48, 50 at thetop and bottom perimeter of the tubular structure.

In other possible embodiments, an insulative member or a pad may be sewninto the front and/or back of a garment, for example as shown in FIG.11. FIG. 11 shows an insulative device 402 including a generallyrectangular insulative member 5 disposed at a location corresponding tothe frontal thorax of a wearer.

The cough pad can cover any or all parts of the upperbody and can varyin thickness for example it could become thin at the edges or in areasnear where it attaches to the strap. The pad can go from the leftanterior axillary line to the right anterior axillary line around thefront (chest) or around the back. The pad could go from the leftmidaxillary line to the right midaxillary line around the front (chest)or around the back. The pad could go from the left posterior axillaryline to the right posterior axillary line around the front (chest) oraround the back. The pad could also go around the whole of the upperbody for example from the midaxillary line to the mid axillary line. Thepad could go in any combination of the above starting at the left orright axillary line and end at any of the other axillary lines(anterior, mid and posterior). For each embodiment, the pad can extendbetween about several inches above or below the pectoralis major (orseveral inches below the serratus anterior) and about several inchesabove or below the obliquas externas.

Such a configuration provides temperature regulation for a specificallyselected portion of the wearer's body which is lacking from prior artdevices and conventional clothing. Similar embodiments can beincorporated into other configurations, for example, tank top, pajamatop, etc. Optionally, a pad may be disposed in a shirt's pocket.

In some embodiments, the size of the insulative device may be sized toconform to a body of an infant, a child or an adult. For example, aninsulative member or pad may be sewn into a front and/or a back of aninfant's one-piece bodysuit, for example a child “onesie.” The bodysuitmay have a form that wraps under the users body between the legs. FIG.12 shows an insulative device 502 having a generally rectangular pad 36sewn into the front of a bodysuit 38. Pad 36 may be disposed at alocation corresponding to a child's frontal thorax, similar to thelocation described above in connection with FIG. 11, to warm the child'slungs while allowing the rest of the wearer's body to remain free ofinsulation. The bodysuit may have sleeves 40, either short or long. Thebodysuit may also cover the whole body, such as a footed “onesie.”

Some embodiments of the device are generally designed to correspond to aheight and a width of the user's chest. However, the insulative devicemay have any suitable shape, for example, a rectangle with roundededges, a circle, an oval, a triangle, a quadrahedral, a rhombus, orconforming to a contour of a portion of a person's body. In someembodiments, the pad of the device may be dimensioned so that it isbarely noticeable to a user and does not interfere with a wearer'sregular activities. For example, FIGS. 13 through 15 and 17 show anexample embodiment of a device sized to correspond to a portion of thewearer's chest having dimensions measuring approximately 10 inches inthe length by approximately 12 inches wide. In some embodiments, loosefill of the device allows the device to be compressed, therefore alarger device can be applied to a smaller body. Some embodiments mayinclude a pad having dimensions of about 5 inches by about 10 inches.Other embodiments may measure about 14 inches by about 14 inches.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the insulative device is wornsnug against the user's skin. In other embodiments, however, theinsulative device may be worn over a user's clothes and may bestructurally adapted for such use. A layered structure as describedherein can be worn over other clothes.

The disclosed innovations further contemplate an insulative device thatmay be attached to a user's head as a pillow to prevent the pillow fromfalling off, for example, as a travel pillow used by a user on anairplane. Such embodiments, may allow for a more fully filled pillow.

The disclosed innovations further contemplate methods of treating lungconditions such as a cough or other asthmatic symptom by placing thedevice adjacent a wearer's chest. For example, the insulative device canbe placed between the user's shirt and chest or shirt and back, and heldin place. The device conforms to the user's body and keeps the chestwarm by reducing conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat loss. Thedevice further reduces heat loss by absorbing sweat and preventing thesweat from evaporating adjacent the user's body.

It is believed that a benefit of using an insulative device is that itallows a portion of the user's core and chest to be relatively warmerthan the rest of the body. By allowing the rest of the body to be cooland unencumbered, the user can feel more comfortable. This comfort canincrease the user's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. It isbelieved that by warming the lungs, the blood vessels dilate, aiding inthe transport of blood through the lungs. In warm conditions, oxygendissolves more readily into the blood making the lungs more efficient.When warm, the airways can open allowing for better air flow. If thelungs are warmer, it is believed mucus in the lungs becomes more fluidmaking it easier for a wearer to dispel excess mucus from the lungs. Itis believed that these factors alleviate one or more symptoms of asthmaor allergies or other ailments that affect breathing.

Other benefits of using an insulative device can include a user fallingasleep more readily and being less likely to wake up in the middle ofthe night. In contrast to some of the prior art methods and devices, forexample, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,582, the disclosedinnovations do not inhibit a person's movement and are configured toremain in a selected position on the user's body during the activity orwhile sleeping.

Presently disclosed innovations also contemplate embodiments that haveor can accommodate sensors attached to a wearer, for example to monitorbody temperature or humidity. The sensors may be accommodated in thedevice by a slot or aperture 91 in the insulative member 5 of the device(FIGS. 18A and 18B). An aperture in the insulative member allowsplacement of sensors directly on the user's skin or allows wires forsensors, such as sensor for an EKG, to extend through layers of theinsulative members to the outside of the insulative device. For example,as shown in FIGS. 18A, an insulative device 802 may have a monitordevice 90 coupled to or separate from the insulative device 92 at theinner layer 4 of a frontal insulative member 5, a connecting wire 94extending through the insulative member 5 and inner layer 4 and outerlayer 6 and leading to an antenna 96 or a battery pack disposed outsideor adjacent on the outer layer 6 of the insulative member 5.

Some insulative devices may have one or more heating elements integratedin or attached to the device. For example, an electrically powered (orexothermic chemical reaction) heating element configured to dissipateheat can be removably positioned in a pocket (not shown) in the pads.Other embodiments may include ventilation holes and/or zones ofmaterials with different properties, for example zones of a stretchymesh material or zones of materials with different moisture absorbingproperties. Some embodiments may be disposable or washable, others maybe used with or without an insulative device cover.

Methods for making such an insulative device can include providingmaterial for an inner layer, a pad, and an outer layer, and forming thelayers, for example, as described above. The layers may be integratedinto a unitary structure and configure the device so that it can coverand insulate a specific portion of the wearer's body. A cross-sectionillustrating possible layers of an insulative device are shown in FIGS.25 and 26. The disclosed innovations further contemplate a method forusing an insulative device as described above.

Technologies disclosed herein can also be used to treat ailments otherthan lung ailments, including sore muscles, tight muscles, bruises, andjoint pain. It is believed that disclosed technologies can assist inhealing such ailments by keeping an area around the effected body partwarm thus helping blood flow to the effected body part. Disclosedtechnologies can also protect the aliment from further damage byprotecting the area from coming in contact with external objects. Forexample in everyday use to protect a bruised hip a user could wear aninsulative device as described herein over the hip so that if they bumpthe hip against a foreign object the device can provide partialprotection from the impact. Insulative devices are not meant as areplacement for pads used in sports activities like football.

Insulative devices can be used to cover and warm a sore back. Here youget the insulation of a local area to keep it warm, or can be used tocover a sore muscle thus keeping it warm and helping healing.

All patent and non-patent literature cited herein is hereby incorporatedby references in its entirety for all purposes.

Persons skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications andvariations are possible in the details, materials, and arrangements ofthe parts and actions which have been described above and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings to explain principles of the inventive subjectmatter, and that such modifications and variations do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the teachings and claims contained therein.

I currently claim:
 1. An insulative device for a selected portion of abody, the device comprising: an inner layer configured to contact awearer's body; an outer layer coupled to the inner layer and configuredto face away from the wearer's body; an insulative pad disposed betweenthe inner layer and the outer layer and the pad configured toselectively cover a limited region of the wearer's torso correspondingapproximately to a location of the lungs of the wearer; wherein theinner layer comprises a wicking material and the pad comprises a sweatabsorbing material so that sweat is wicked away from the body, absorbedin the pad, and prevented from evaporating near the wearer's bodykeeping the region of the wearer's body around the lungs warm whileallowing the rest of the wearer's body to stay cool.
 2. The insulativedevice of claim 1, further comprising a retainer configured to hold thedevice in place on the body of the wearer.
 3. The insulative device ofclaim 1, wherein the region of the wearer's torso comprises a frontalthorax region of the wearer's torso.
 4. The insulative device of claim 1wherein the region of the wearer's torso comprises a back thorax regionof the wearer's torso.
 5. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein thepad is sized to cover a portion of the wearer's torso from a positionadjacent the wearer's sternum to a position adjacent the wearer's collarbone and from a position in front of one underarm to a position in frontof the other underarm.
 6. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein thepad has a longitudinal dimension measuring about 10 inches and acircumferential dimension measuring about 12 inches.
 7. The insulativedevice of claim 1 wherein the inner layer, the outer layer, and the padconstitute a unitary structure.
 8. The insulative device of claim 1wherein the retainer comprises a plurality of shoulder portionsextending between respective front and back portions of the device whendonned by a wearer.
 9. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein theretainer comprises matingly engageable fasteners allowing the insulativedevice to be selectively fitted around the wearer's body.
 10. Theinsulative device of claim 1 wherein the retainer comprises aslip-resistant material or a gripping material applied to the innerlayer so that the insulative device is held in place on the body of thewearer when donned.
 11. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein theinner layer and/or the outer layer comprise an elastic material.
 12. Theinsulative device of claim 1 further comprising an outer protectivematerial.
 13. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein the pad iscoupled to one or both of the inner layer and the outer layer stitching.14. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein the pad comprises aplurality of zones having respectively different moisture absorbancyproperties.
 15. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein the devicedefines an aperture configured for sensor wires to extend through theinsulative device.
 16. The insulative device of claim 1 wherein thedevice defines a plurality of ventilation holes.
 17. A method foralleviating symptoms of lung ailments, the method comprising:positioning an insulative device on a wearer's upper torso, theinsulative device comprising an inner layer configured to contact awearer's body, an outer layer coupled to the inner layer and configuredto face away from the wearer's body, an insulative pad disposed betweenthe inner layer and the outer layer and the pad configured to cover aregion of the wearer's torso corresponding approximately to a locationof the lungs of the wearer, wherein the inner layer comprises a wickingmaterial and the pad comprises a sweat absorbing material so that sweatis wicked away from the body, absorbed in the pad, and prevented fromevaporating near the wearer's body keeping the region of the body warmwhile allowing the rest of the wearer's body to stay cool, and whereinthe insulative device conforms to the wearer's body; and insulating awearer's body from approximately the sternum to the collar bone and fromthe front of one arm pit to the front of the other arm pit; and keepingthe lungs warm by reducing radiating heat loss and by reducingconvection heat loss so the symptoms of lung ailments are reduced.